Adjust
by DreamersMyth27
Summary: Learning about yourself can be confusing.


**This is just something fun I wrote. Mostly happens withing the Son of Batman/Justice League: War universe. Don't worry, not trying to make this fit into canon, obviously. :) Also, non-linear narrative.**

 **Just something kinda fun and short. One-shot, so it's also done. Enjoy! Don't forget to leave a comment and tell me what you thought!**

 **Edited 4/16/18**

 **Edited 12/31/18**

* * *

When Billy arrived back at his foster home through the window, he was not expecting to see a teen, probably only five or six years older than him, sitting on his bed.

"What are you doing in here?" he asked warily.

The teen smiled, but it wasn't very comforting. At all. In fact, he looked ready to share some very bad news.

"You're foster parents, the Vasques' let me in. They said you'd be getting back soon."

Billy nearly jumped in surprise. He hadn't thought they knew about him sneaking out. He was so careful. The only people who'd ever seen him arrive back were Freddy and Darla, and they'd promised not to tell. Like the kid s they were, they didn't break promises.

"Why are you here?"

"Well, it's a long story."

Billy sat on his desk chair and looked at the teen dryly. "Since it's _so_ important you'd better start."

"Okay, okay." The teen sighed and ran a hand through his messy black hair. "Where to begin? I'm Tim. And this sounds a little crazy, but…"

* * *

Ibn al Xu'ffasch was born weighing 8 pounds exactly. He wasn't grown inside his mother, but instead in a high tech lab where his mother hired people to make him perfect.

He was born without a single flaw. And his mother smiled. He would be the perfect tool to use against his father. He simply needed to be taught and molded properly.

One of his mother's servants, a girl by the name of Rita, saw and heard what Talia al Ghul had planned for her son, and she pitied him. So Rita formed a plan. She gained Talia's trust, became the perfect servant, and when Talia's wet nurse died (Killed. But no one ever said that), she volunteered herself to be the new one. It was a job she would die doing because none who served Ibn al Xu'ffasch directly survived longer than a month. She took it though because maybe she could free the child.

For two weeks she nursed the baby and held him in place of his mother, and when the time was right, she gave the child to a friend of hers. She died exactly thirteen hours later when Talia discovered her missing child and the destroyed lab.

Ibn al Xu'ffasch was left on the steps of an orphanage far away. No name was left, and soon he was adopted and given a new one.

William Joseph Batson.

* * *

Billy blinked, once, then twice.

"You're telling me that my real mom was some crazy assassin lady? Yeah right." He scoffed.

Tim rolled his eyes. "It's true."

"And how do you know that?" Billy demanded. "If she was some crazy assassin, wouldn't she have killed you too? For knowing all this?"

"Not exactly." Tim shifted. "You see, I'm Robin."

Billy stared, then laughed. "You had me going there. For real."

Tim crossed his arms. "You are so irritating. Look, Billy. It's the truth. You're Talia al Ghul and Batman's son."

Billy stopped laughing. "What? No way, dude. I think I'd know if I was Batman's son. I knew that the Batson's weren't my real parents."

Plus he actually knew Batman. But that was beside the point because even if Tim really was Robin and Batman's partner, there was no way Billy was sharing his alter ego. It really wouldn't be good if anyone found out that Shazam was actually a thirteen-year-old punk.

"Listen, Batman found out about you from Talia, and when she finally let it slip you were taken from her as a baby, he's been acting crazy trying to find you. I'm not saying you need to come to live with him, just let me tell him about you so that he doesn't go crazy," Tim begged.

Billy narrowed his eyes. "If Batman can't find me, how'd you?"

Tim shrugged. "He gets less focused and more likely to overlook things when it's personal I don't."

"And how'd you know I'm the one you're looking for sure?"

"Simple. Talia mentioned genetic engineering. I just combed databases for someone who'd DNA shows signs of it and is thirteen currently"

Billy leaned back on his chair. "Why should I believe you? For all I know, you're a crazy person trying to kill me. Are you really Robin?"

Tim sighed. "Yes. Do you wanna see the costume?"

Billy nodded sharply. Tim pulled a briefcase Billy hadn't noticed earlier on top of his lap and popped it open, revealing a genuine Robin suit. Something that couldn't be faked.

"Okay," he admitted. "So you're really Robin and I'm probably really Batman's son. Why do I gotta meet him? Let him find me on his own, I say."

"You're insufferable," Tim commented.

Billy snorted. "Yeah. Now can you leave? I need to sleep."

Tim - Robin didn't move. Just continued to stare at Billy. Neither of them moved until finally, Billy broke.

"Fine!" he shouted, throwing his hand up in the air. "I'll meet him after school. The park in the abandoned part of town."

Tim nodded sharply, stood up, and strode out the door. Billy sighed and jumped onto his bed. What had he just gotten himself into?

* * *

The park was empty, as always. The perfect spot to meet Batman, his supposed 'dad'. Though honestly, Batman being his dad wasn't that far-fetched, considering what he did in his free time (Magically transforming into a flying adult and fought crime. Also, member of the Justice League).

He sat on one of the swings and lazily swung back and forth. When a stick cracked behind him, he didn't flinch. He was sure Batman was just making noise so he wasn't surprised.

"William?" It wasn't a man's voice. It was a woman's soft voice. So not Batman. But this lady did know his name. He jumped off the swing and turned around sharply.

Standing a few feet away was a gorgeous woman with features that were decidedly not American. She had long brown hair, tan skin, and sharp brown eyes that held a certain amount of calculating coldness. She was dressed in simple clothing, with a tan trench coat.

"Who are you?" he asked warily.

She smiled softly, but the supposedly comforting gesture didn't reach her eyes. Her eyes were still cold.

"William, I'm your mother," she said in a soft tone. Now that he was paying more attention, he noticed the accent she spoke with. "You were taken from me when you were just a baby. I've been looking for you."

She held her arms out as if she expected him to just come running into them, but Billy wasn't a fool. Even if she was telling the truth, hadn't Robin said that she was Talia al Ghul? Daughter of Ra's al Ghul, head of the League of Assassins. She wasn't exactly a good person, real mom or not.

"Why should I believe you?" he asked. "Robin came to tell me that Batman was my real dad, and you're coming here telling me you're my real mom, who's supposedly a villain."

Her expression faltered for a moment before it was once again replaced with a soft smile. It didn't fit, because her body was tense and her eyes roamed the surroundings.

"Because I can prove it. All you need to do is come with me. You could be someone. I'll train you, son. You could become a great warrior," she promised. "We've missed you."

Billy scoffed. "I don't need to become a warrior. I don't need anyone. Especially someone who's probably going to kill me or something."

"And your father, the Batman? Do you need him? That's what you're doing here, isn't it? Meeting him?" She took a step forward and held out a hand. "I'm your mother. Surely you want to know me, just as I want to know you."

"Stay away from him, Talia," a deep voice proclaimed.

Billy's eyes darted towards the treeline, where the shadow of a tall man appeared. Batman.

"Do I not have as much claim to him as you? He's my son too," she said, taking another step closer to Billy.

"And what do you want him for, Talia? Are you really going to let him stay as he is? Or would you demand he trains?" Batman asked.

Some part of Billy was excited, and the rest of him was almost disgusted. They were fighting over him like he was an object and couldn't make his own decisions. He turned around and walked away while they were distracted with each other. He didn't need either of them. He was fine on his own.

* * *

"Billy."

He jerked at the sudden noise, then scoffed when he saw Batman. Now he wanted to talk.

"What?" he asked, harsher than he meant, but he felt justified in it.

"I'm sorry," Batman said.

"Uh huh," Billy said skeptically. "So what do you want? Is it to tell me I'm your son or whatever because Robin already told me that."

"I never knew about you. For that, I'm sorry."

Billy waved his hand. "Whatever. It's not like you aren't the World's Greatest Detective or anything. I don't need you. You don't need me."

"William-"

"My name is Billy, not William, but it isn't even that, is it? What was it _Tim_ told me Talia al Ghul named me originally? Oh yeah. Ibn al Xu'ffasch. Son of the Bat." He rolled his eyes. "Now you know me. Go away."

Batman stood in front of him, effectively blocking the only exit for the alley. He reached up and pulled his cowl down, and knelt to Billy's level.

"Billy, my name's Bruce Wayne."

The man's blue eyes were dark, but something in them was shining with happiness. He wasn't smiling, but something similar to it at least.

"Okay, my real dad is a billionaire. May I go home now? I won't tell anyone your ID or anything, just so you know."

Something in the man's face broke, but he schooled his expression quickly. "Of course."

"Good. Bye."

Billy walked around Batman and walked home.

* * *

"Talia, you wanted to meet me," Bruce said. He was sure she understood the unasked question.

"Bruce," she said, crossing her arms, and for the first time, that he could remember at least, looked unsure. "My father is dead."

"Ra's?" he asked in surprise.

"Yes. Three years ago. That's not why I came, though."

"Why did you come then?"

Talia took a deep breath and closed her eyes. When she opened them, they were cold, calculating. "My father's murderers, they discovered that I have a son… we have a son."

Bruce inhaled sharply and looked around the room.

"You won't find him here," she said dismissively. "He was taken as a child by a servant. I killed her after learning she somehow managed to get him to an orphanage in America. They're looking for him now. I haven't been able to find him yet."

"You need my help to locate him," Bruce said.

"Yes," she admitted. "He's thirteen now. I named him Ibn al Xu'ffasch… and Damian Wayne."

"What are you planning after you find him?" Bruce asked.

"He'll need to be trained, of course. He's the heir to the League of Assassins and to the Batman. I'm sure he's soft. His adoptive parents will need to be eliminated."

"Why are you telling me this? You know I won't help you now," Bruce said.

Talia laughed lightly. "I think you will, Bruce. It's either we find him, or those who seek to kill him find him."

"And what if I find him first?" Bruce asked. "I won't help you if you plan to torture him."

"You went through the training. It wasn't torture." She scoffed. "He is our son. He needs to know how to protect himself."

"I chose the training," Bruce snarled. "To let a child, force a child, that would be torture."

"Then I assume you will not help me find him?"

"No, Talia. I will find him, and _you_ will stay away."

"Or what, Bruce?" she asked.

"Or you'll regret it."

"You know, he just wants to protect you. Get to know you."

* * *

Billy jerked and swore loudly when he saw Nightwing on the roof behind him. Finally, he scowled at the man and asked: "What are you doing here?"

Nightwing jumped next to him, landing lightly. "Robin-"

"Tim Drake?" Billy asked, but not really, because he knew.

"Yeah. Tim told me about what was going on. I came to meet you, and revel in the fact that he lectured _me_ about using protection."

Billy snorted.

"Yeah. I found it ironic too. But the big reason I came was to tell you he only wanted to meet you because… well… you're his son, and because assassins are after you."

"I can take care of myself," he said. "I don't need adults to look after me or anything."

"Be that it may, but he just wants to protect you. You should at least give him a chance."

Billy scoffed. "Yeah. Sure. Maybe later."

"That's all I can ask."

* * *

"You know, sneaking around at night makes you look a little suspicious," a conversational voice said.

Billy groaned. "Not again. What part of leave me alone do you people not get?"

Red Hood leaped down from the roof and walked down the alley with Billy. "The 'leave you alone' part. I don't see what you're so bothered by."

"Maybe the fact that I'm being stalked by my real dad's adoptive kids? Some of whom are supposed to be dead, _Jason_."

Red Hood laughed. "Yeah, believe me, I get it. Tell that to your mom."

Billy ignored him and continued walking.

"Anyways, I just came to tell you to talk to the old man, get to know him or whatever. He's been really gloomy ever since you told him to leave you alone. Makes riling him up with murders harder. And boring."

"I'll talk to him the day I get attacked by a supervillain." As himself, not Shazam.

"You know, I'm considered a supervillain," Red Hood said, then punched him in the shoulder. "There, you've been attacked by a supervillain. Go talk to your old man."

"That's not how it works."

* * *

So, Billy was really standing here. Right in front of Wayne Manor. He rang the doorbell and waited.

It opened a moment later, and he saw an old man in a suit standing there.

"Hi," he began, feeling uncharacteristically nervous. "I'm Billy Batson."


End file.
